1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a mechanical device, and particularly to a contact bending fixture.
2. Description of Prior Art
Connectors are common components in electronic engineering field. The connectors are provided for electrically connecting separated sub-circuits or isolated sub-circuits of a circuit so that current flows through the circuit to realize predetermined functions of the circuit. The connectors are indispensable components in electronic equipments. One or more connectors are found in the circuit if tracing along a conductive path of the circuit is made. There are a huge variety of different types of connectors available in the market. With the changes of application, frequency, power, application environment, and the likes, connectors involve different forms and structures. For example, connectors used in sports court lighting, connectors for hard disk drivers, and connectors for rocket control are very different from one another. No matter what kind of connector used, current should continuously and reliably flow through the circuit.
A connector typically includes an insulating housing, supporting members, and conductive contacts. The contacts are accommodated in the insulating housing. The supporting members support the insulating housing and secure the connector to a circuit board.
After being punched, the contacts are straight and not bent, so that they are not yet available for use in a connector. A bending operation is performed for bending the contacts at a predetermined angle before the contacts are used in a connector. However, during the bending operation of the contacts, residual stresses often cause the material of the contacts to spring back towards its original position, so that a two-step bending method is often employed to solve the problem of spring-back.
A conventionally used solution is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which involves a two-step bending operation. In a first step, a contact 3 is held between an upper die block 1 and a lower die block 2. A bending slider 4 presses the contact 3 to pre-form a shape. In a second step, the preformed contact 3′ available in the first step is held between an upper die block 1′ and a lower die block 2′. A bending slider 4′ further presses the preformed contact 3′ to a desired final shape.
However, in such a manufacturing process, bending method needs is carried out with two steps in order to reach the desired shape of the contact. This results in an extension of the manufacturing time, and an increase of manpower, and requirement for extra room. Therefore, the conventional method is adverse for improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.